Title

Author

Date of Award

3-7-2017

Document Type

Thesis and Dissertation-ISU Access Only

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Department of English

First Advisor

Brian J. Rejack

Abstract

This thesis examines the character of Lord Byron’s celebrity. I begin by observing the state of the changing literary market in the Romantic Era and account for the changes in print technology and publishing industry rolls that contribute to Byron’s rise to fame upon the publication of Childe Harold. Following this account, I explore the performed public persona—similar to his iconic Byronic hero in many aspects—that Byron contrives to appease his fans’ desire. Finally, I observe the manner in which his embodied persona leads his contemporaries and fans throughout time to build upon his legacy with their own creative imaginings and offer a few explanations for what this may suggest about modern day celebrity culture.